


In The Spotlight

by larislynn



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Actors, Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Slow Burn, Some Humor, loki is kind of a jerk, not for long though!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25373569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larislynn/pseuds/larislynn
Summary: Loki is a pretentious, self-absorbed actor. You're an extra hoping to find something more to life. When Fate pushes you together will sparks fly under the spotlights?*On Hiatus*
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

“I will no longer have you freeloading in my house! You’re 24, you need a _real_ job! This will teach you a lesson, pack your things.” The door slammed shut, leaving you alone in your room. 

Tears streamed down your face as a sob racked your body. Where would you go? Shaking your head, you grabbed your suitcase. Maybe you could convince your mother to reconsider. You stood up and cautiously opened the door.

“I don’t want to hear it,” she warned. “Don’t give me this ‘theatre is your dream’ B.S. Find a real job, start earning a living, then you can come back home. Until then, you’re on your own.” 

Sighing, you closed your door. You slumped down against it, putting your head in your hands. Afternoon sunlight filtered in through your curtains, casting a muted glow across the room. Well, there wasn’t anything you could do to improve the situation. 

The blue suitcase sat abandoned in the middle of your floor. Picking it back up off the carpet, you set it down on your grey bedspread. As you collected your belongings, you pulled your phone out of your pocket. 

Navigating to your messages, you quickly sent a text to your best friend. “Hey Meg, I just got kicked out. It’s a long story. Can I crash at your apartment for the night?”

Not even a moment later your phone lit up. “Of course,” she replied, “you can stay as long as you need.” Well that was certainly a weight off your chest. 

Truth be told, you had always been a little jealous of Meg. Ever since elementary school, she had seemed so put together. Right out of college she had a successful job and her own apartment. Now you were thankful she did.

Once all your things were in the suitcase, you shut it with a sigh. Creaking the bedroom door open, you stepped out into the hall. The suitcase rolled easily along the wood floor, all the way out to the garage. 

Stepping into the one car garage, your nose crinkled at the odor of mildew that clung to the damp air. You maneuvered your way around the lawnmower, back pressed against the car door. Eventually you made it to the rear of the vehicle, and groaned. The metal around the taillight was corroded with rust, and it was spreading along the back of the car, towards the latch of the trunk.

As you tried to unlock the back of the car, the key got stuck in the lock and had to struggle to unlock it. When the key finally turned, you put your baggage in the trunk and slammed the top shut with a satisfying _thud_. 

The driver’s side of the car presented a similar probably, but you were used to it. Once you were finally in the driver’s seat, you sighed in relief. Looking over your shoulder, you pressed the button to open the garage door.

After a moment, it slowly rose with a loud squeal. It stung that your mom hadn’t even bothered to say goodbye, but maybe it was for the best. You put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. Once you reached the end, you pushed the garage door button again. However, this time it didn’t work.

For a moment you considered getting out of the car to close it, but the sun was already beginning sinking on the horizon and you’d hoped to make it to Meg’s by nightfall. You had a full hour’s drive ahead of you, so time was of the essence. Rolling your eyes, you continued to back out of the driveway, then turned and drove down the street.

“If she’s able to kick me out of the house, she’s able to close the garage door,” you muttered to yourself. When you reached the stop sign at the end of the road you paused to roll down the window. You scowled as you turned the crank, bitterly musing to yourself about your old car. Once you had a job and a permanent place to live, buying a new car—one with power windows and a working A/C—would be your top priority.

Soon after, a cool breeze filtered through your window, you took a deep breath. The smell of must and mildew had cleared from your lungs, and was now replaced by the warm, dry air of the summer evening. You turned on the radio and let the music take you out of the moment. All that lay ahead of you was an open road, the red and purple hues of the sunset and the welcoming comfort of your best friend’s city apartment. 

That was another thing you had been jealous of. After the divorce, your mom kept the house in rural, upstate New York, while your dad stayed in the city. Since your mother had full custody, you had to kiss any hope of city life away. Including your dream of theatre. Meanwhile, Meg was able to live in the city and pursue whatever dream she wanted. Yet you didn’t resent her for that. 

Whenever you had a chance to visit her, the city always fascinated you. Sure, it was bustling and usually quite dirty, but it never died. No matter where you were, there was always some background noise to preoccupy your mind. 

The further you got from home, the more uneasy you began to feel. Looking at your fuel gauge, you pursed your lips in frustration. You were practically running on empty, and from the looks of the empty road around you, it was a long way from the nearest gas station. 

Sending a silent prayer to whatever gods may be listening, you pulled out your phone. Apparently those prayers were answered as you had a signal and could pull up the map. From the looks of it, the closest gas station was only a few miles away, so you kept driving.

In five minutes time you arrived, and you couldn’t help but cringe slightly at the sigh around you. Gravel crunched under your tires as you pulled in, and you hoped you wouldn’t drive over a nail. There was only one gas pump and it looked as if a strong gust of wind could blow it down. The service station next to it was equally unkempt. 

The paint peeled off the front of the building and you couldn’t quite make out the name of the station. One of the windows appeared to be shattered, and the one light illuminating the whole area flickered ominously every few seconds. 

You parked the car away from the pump, wanting to check it out before getting any fuel. Upon inspection you realized they didn’t accept credit, only cash. Walking back to your car, you began to rummage through your glove compartment for some loose bills.

A loud screech brought you back to reality and you looked up. There was a flashy black sports car parked next to the pump, not even a foot away from the front of your car. 

That was it. You weren’t getting pushed around any more today. Stepping out of your car you yelled at the driver, “Hey watch where you’re driving! And I was here first, asshole.”

A tall man folded himself out of the car. He was dressed impeccably, wearing a dark green dress shirt with black dress pants. Long black hair fell in waves just past his shoulders, and he held himself with a certain level of elegance. You blinked, forgetting what you had been so upset about, instead finding yourself preoccupied with his chiseled jawline and sharp, high cheekbones. 

However, the moment he spoke, it all came flooding back. “Oh dear, nasty manners. I have places to be. You can wait.”

“What makes you assume that I don’t have places to be?” Alright, now you were mad. Who the hell did he think he was?

He walked over to you and you began to feel antsy. Just because you wanted to fight him didn’t mean you wanted to _fight_ him. 

“Here, take this for your troubles. Maybe get some anger management with it.” Forcibly, he shoved a crisp fifty dollar bill in your hand. You weren’t sure what to do, but you decided to keep the cash. The need for fuel was greater than the need to see that smirk wiped off his perfect face. 

As abruptly as he walked up to you, he turned and walked away, heading into the building. You sighed and got back in the car, waiting for him to leave so you could purchase your fuel and be on your way. 

There were about fifteen missed messages from Meg, and you couldn’t help but smile. Most of the texts asked where you were and if you were alright. You responded, telling her you were about a half hour out of the city, but you had to stop for fuel. Something told you to leave out the part about the pretentious British jerk. That was a story to save for when you saw her in person. 

As soon as he left, you drove your car forward, getting ready to buy the fuel. Walking over to the station, you bristled. The door handle was covered in a deep rust, worse than the corrosion on your car. Cautiously, you reached out, pulling on the door. It didn’t budge.

It was at that moment you noticed the large sticker above the handle that said ‘push’. Of course you noticed it only _after_ you made a fool of yourself. Sighing in exasperation, you pushed open the door. Entering the small service station, you blinked back your surprise.

Bright fluorescent lights illuminated the shop. While most of the display racks had auto repair goods, some advertised different overpriced snacks. Looking at the ridiculous price of three dollars for a candy bar, you scoffed. So _that_ was how this place managed to stay in business.

Placing the fifty on the counter, you nibbled on your bottom lip. You’d only need thirty dollars worth of fuel. Besides, you wouldn’t be driving much once you reached the city. Finally you came to a decision. “Thirty dollars of fuel and one coffee please.” 

The man behind the counter nodded gruffly. He handed you back your change and your cup of coffee. It was black as night, no cream or sugar. “Excuse me, I don’t mean to bother you,” you began.

“That’s the way we serve it,” he cut you off brusquely. “You can take it or leave it.”

Part of you considered ‘leaving it’ all over his face. But instead you shook your head and said, “No it’s alright, thank you.” God how you hated being a pushover.

When you were finally back on the road, you took a sip of your coffee. It was somehow still piping hot and not quite as bitter as you had expected. Or maybe the exhaustion was finally setting in and everything was losing its flavor. You were more willing to put your money on option two. 

Finally you made your way into the city. It was near impossible to see the moon or any stars, but judging by how dark the sky was, you knew it was late. Meg was waiting for you outside the apartment building, and once you were out of the car she rushed to give you a hug.

“Are you alright? When it took you so long I was worried,” her eyebrows were knit together in concern.

“I am, thank you. But how about I tell you all about it in the morning? It’s been a long day and right now I just need to sleep.” Meg nodded, leading you up the stairs to her apartment.

It was nice and cool inside, and you took a breath. Looking at the couch you saw that blankets and pillows were laid out already, and you smiled. Leave it to Meg to know how exhausted you would be. After washing up and once again thanking your best friend, you collapsed onto the sofa, falling immediately into a deep, dreamless sleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

Morning light filtered through the apartment window and you blinked awake. Your head felt heavy and you sighed as you struggled to sit up. Yawning, you took a look around the room, trying to recall why you were in Meg’s apartment.

That was when everything came back in a flash. “Hey sleepyhead,” Meg called from the kitchen. “How did you sleep?”

“Like a baby,” you responded with a smile. “Thank you again, I’m sorry this was all so last minute. Everything happened all at once.”

“It’s alright,” she said soothingly. “I’m making pancakes for breakfast, why don’t you come in here and tell me all about it.”

Nodding, you stood up and walked into the kitchen. You could smell the sweet aroma of pancake batter and couldn’t help but grin. She knew what would make you feel better. “I hope you didn’t go to any trouble making these, you’ve already so much.”

“Oh nonsense! Besides, I was already up. You know how much I love my sunrise meditation.”

‘ _Of course she would get up early_ ,‘ you thought to yourself, taking a seat at the table. That was so like her. “Well, where should I begin? The fight with my mother or the handsome stranger I almost cussed out?”

She smirked, “How about we start at the very beginning and then make our way to your new boyfriend.”

“Oh _very_ funny,” you laughed. “But it all started yesterday afternoon, when I was looking for a job online. Evidently only job searching theatre companies is a crime in that house. My mom told me to start searching for a ‘real job’, and I told her that theatre could be a ‘real job’.”

“Technically if you’re being paid for goods or services anything is a real job,” Meg interjected.

“I pointed that out,” you nodded. “And that’s when she really lost it. Apparently I was being nothing but a good-for-nothing freeloader, and she was sick of it.” You looked down, trying to blink away the tears threatening to spill out of your eyes.

Although you could never explain it, you always sought your mother’s approval. After your dad left, you chased after support from the only parental figure you had left. That ended up being a bad decision. No matter what you tried, your mom shut you down. All she wanted for you was ‘the best’, or so she claimed. But she never asked what you thought was best. Sometimes it seemed she never really cared.

“Oh sweetie it’s alright, you know you can cry here.” Meg put a hand on your shoulder and you let the tears fall. 

“I told her that I didn’t need her seal of approval on my career choice. That was when she told me to get out. Told me that I couldn’t come back until I had an actual career.” 

“You don’t need her to be your only support system. I will always be here, no matter what road you take in life.”

Now there was no stopping the tears from falling, and you wiped them away quickly before whispering a quick, “Thank you.”

Meg placed a plate of pancakes in front of you, “I think that’s enough talking about her. Now, why don’t you tell me about this mysterious stranger who swept you off your feet.”

“More like almost swept me out of the parking lot,” you clarified with a light laugh. “Well, he was tall, with shoulder length black hair with these piercing eyes. I couldn’t tell if they were blue or green, but he was gorgeous. Anyways, he took my place at the _only_ gas pump at the station.”

Shaking her head, she took a sip of coffee, “That’s such a jerk move. Did he at least apologize?”

“Not exactly,” you began, not sure how to explain the interaction you had with him. “He handed me fifty dollars and took off. It was weird, to say the least.”

“It’s always the handsome ones that think they can get away with whatever they want. But there’s something familiar…” Meg glanced at you and then looked down. “It’s probably nothing but,” her brow furrowed. “I feel like I know him. Or at least recognize him from somewhere. That description just reminds me of someone, but I’m sure it’s nothing.”

An alarm went off on her phone, causing you both to jump. “Sorry,” she laughed, silencing it, “I have to get to work. Although I can call off today if you want me to.”-

“No Meg, really, it’s fine. Besides, I need to try and do some job searching today. _But_ , if you do happen to figure out anything about our mysterious stranger just text me,” you shot her a mischievous grin.

“Sure thing,” she gave you a quick hug before heading out the door.

With a sad smile, you finished the rest of your breakfast. As usual, it was delicious, making you feel a slight twinge of jealousy at her cooking skills. After placing the plates in the dishwasher, you pulled out your laptop. 

“Alright,” you said to yourself. Time to find a job.” 

Apparently finding a “real” job in the city wasn’t as easy you pictured. Fifteen job searches later, you almost felt like giving up. Sighing, you decided to take a personality test to find a career well-suited to you. Unsurprisingly, the result was Performing Arts. Of course it was.

Shaking your head, you pulled up the website for the local theatre. Although it wasn’t Broadway level, it was still a large company. It was unlikely you would find anything, but it was worth a try. 

An advertisement for their upcoming production of Romeo and Juliet appeared, and you had to stifle a laugh. Sure, it’s a big name play, but it had been so overdone. Scanning the page, you tried to find a link for auditions. Finally, a small tab that read “Audition Today!’ caught your eye. 

Clicking on the link, your heart seized. Apparently when they said “Audition Today” they meant it. There was an open workshop for paid extra roles and today was the final day. There was no harm in just looking into it, right?

The workshop began at 2, which gave you just less than four hours to get ready. Risking a glance in the mirror, you grimaced. You had some serious work to do.

Once you had your hair fixed the way you liked it, you moved onto makeup. You weren’t sure whether you would need full stage makeup or a natural look, so you opted for a mix. Basic makeup with a bold lip and hint more blush than usual. There, that should work.

Looking back at the page, you double checked the requirements. From what you saw, all you needed was a valid form of identification. That should be easy enough. Searching through your purse, you fumbled for your driver’s license. 

Dumping everything out of your purse your heart raced. It wasn’t there. Your brain automatically jumped to the worst case scenario, that it was still at your mom’s place. Then you realized that wouldn’t be possible since you had it with you at the gas station. 

It was still at the gas station. At least you hoped it was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been feeling my best these past few days so this chapter is a bit shorter, sorry! As always, kudos and comments are appreciated! Love you all! <3


	3. Chapter 3

Rushing to the car, you grumbled when the door got stuck once again. This was the worst possible time, and that wasn’t an overstatement. After battling with the door for a minute, it finally sprang open with a creak. Mentally you added buying a car to your list of things to do once you had some money. 

Checking the time, you sighed. It was only noon, so you had a bit of time to make it there and back. Your tires squealed against the pavement as you peeled out of the parking spot. Speeding down the road you just barely made it through the stoplight before it turned red. 

Although it wasn’t that far to the gas station you could still feel your heart race with every passing minute. Your thoughts raced right along with your heart. What if you couldn’t find your i.d.? What if you did find it but weren’t cast anyways? Or even worse, what if you had to admit defeat and go crawling back home, begging for forgiveness? 

No, it wouldn’t come to that. You wouldn’t allow it. The radio buzzed with static as you flipped through the stations, trying to find one playing music loud enough to drown out your worrisome thoughts. Once you finally landed on one you cranked it up, bass pumping through your semi-busted speaker system. 

Finally you pulled into the old gas station parking lot, which was thankfully empty. Hopping out of your car, you took a deep breath of air. No matter how much you loved the city nothing could beat the fresh air found on its outskirts. Looking at the dinghy convenience store you were reminded of your mission. 

You walked over, opening the door and stepping inside. “Good morning,” a man called from behind the counter. Glancing over, you realized it wasn’t the old man you saw there the night before. Instead, a tall man stood at the register, long blond hair flowing down to his shoulders. “Can I help you find anything?”

“Well,” you smiled shyly, hoping he’d be able to help you, “I was here last night. I think I left my wallet here, with my i.d. In it?” You posed your statement as a question, your voice rising in inflection as you spoke. 

The man behind the counter grinned, “Yes, I found one here this morning! My father must not have noticed it when he was cleaning up.” 

_Oh_ , you thought to yourself, _it must be a family business._ Well, at least he was more agreeable than his father. He reached behind the counter, pulling your wallet out from a cabinet. “Is this it?”

You grinned, “There it is, thank you so much. I was worried I wouldn’t find it and then I’d be late to the auditions…” you trailed off, feeling a burden lifting from your chest. 

The man at the register smiled, “Oh, what are you auditioning for?” 

Blushing, you confessed it was just a small role. “I wish it was a bigger part, but I’m new to the city’s acting scene.” 

“Well, in my opinion there’s no such thing as a small role. Now my brother may disagree,” he chuckled. “Oh, speak of the devil, there he is now.” 

Glancing over your shoulder, your heart skipped a beat. There he was, the man from last night, still dressed impeccably, with his hair tied back neatly. “Hello Thor,” he greeted as he walked in. 

“Loki,” his brother smiled, “I was just talking about you.” At this point the man you now knew as Loki spared you a glance before nodding briefly. 

“Nice to see you again,” he said stiffly. Geez, was he allergic to emotion or something? 

“Likewise,” you said politely. “Well, I’d best be off. I wouldn’t want to be late. Thank you for finding my wallet.” You smiled, turning to leave. 

“Break a leg,” Thor called out as you exited the shop. 

The sun glared into your eyes as you drove back into the city. Although you were no longer pressed for time you still hoped to arrive early. That would make a good impression on the directors, right? 

At a stoplight you pulled out your phone to double check the address. You were only a block away from something that could change your life. No big deal. 

There was a parking space outside the theatre and you pulled in quickly. The clock on the dash read 1:30 and you breathed a sigh of relief. Not only were you there on time, you were a half hour early. For the first time in a while things were looking up. 

Glancing at the street sign your heart began to race again. Your father only lived a block away. If you nailed this workshop maybe you could pay him a surprise visit. The last you heard he had started a new business here in the city. _Who knows, maybe he’d even be willing to help you with your theatre goals_ , you thought hopefully. After all, he had to have made some connections during his time living here, right?

That was enough dreaming for the moment. If you kept thinking like that it would only lead to disappointment. It had been years since you’d last seen him, and if he was anything like your mom he wouldn’t be in the habit of supporting the theatre. Shaking your head, you stepped out of your car, i.d. in hand. 

Squaring your shoulders, you took a confident stride towards the building. Unfortunately, you failed to notice the curb in front of you and tripped, falling face down onto the sidewalk. Cursing under your breath, you felt a stinging pain in your knees and knew they were scraped up. From the corner of your eye you could see someone come over, extending a hand to help you up. 

Standing, you turned to thank the man who helped you, but your words got caught in your throat. In front of you stood a man with greying salt and pepper hair, with distinguished features, wearing a smart business suit. A gasp left your mouth as you struggled to collect your thoughts. Instead of saying all the things you’d wanted to tell him over the past few years, you could only utter a single word. “Dad?”

“It’s good to see some things never change,” he replied with a smile. “You’re just as clumsy as I remember.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I am so sorry that this took so long to update! Things have been crazy and I haven’t had much time to write. I’ve decided to update this every other Sunday, that way I have more time to work on quality updates! As always kudos and comments are appreciated! Love you all! <3


	4. Chapter 4

Your mind couldn’t completely comprehend his words. So instead of forming an intelligent response, you once again spluttered out a weak “Dad?” Then, a question formed in your mind. “How did you know I was here? Did Mom call you?”

“What? No, you know I haven’t heard from your mother in ages. The truth is, I didn’t know you were here. I was just heading into work.” 

“You work here?” The query slipped past your lips before you had time to stop it, but instead of looking offended he let out a chuckle.

“Why am I not surprised that your mother didn’t tell you? I own the theatre company. After the divorce I started working here, and eventually worked my way up until I could buy it. That was how your mother won custody, since a starter job at a theatre didn’t seem to be able to provide for a child.” 

A shadow passed over his face before he shook his head. “Now it’s my turn to ask, what are you doing here?” 

You glanced down, feeling nervous about your response. If you told him you were auditioning, he might be able to help you land a position. But what if he thought you were trying to take advantage of his job? Deciding to answer with a half truth you replied,“Well, I came here for the Romeo and Juliet extra workshop.”

He gave you a meaningful look.“I meant, what are you doing in the city.”

“Mom kicked me out last night for not having a real job, so here I am.” A forced laugh bubbled out of your mouth, but you began to realize the full desperation of your situation. 

He looked concerned, before giving you a comforting smile, “Well, you’re my daughter, so I know you’ll do well. I can show around if you’d like. Give you a quick tour of the building.” 

“That’d be great,” you beamed. “Thank you so much.” 

“It’s the least I can do,” he replied, leading you toward the gleaming glass doors. As you entered the building a gasp left your mouth. It was absolutely gorgeous. 

A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling of the foyer, glinting warm light off the shining marble floor. A grand staircase led to what you presumed to be the auditorium. “This is all yours?” 

He nodded as he led you towards the room where auditions were being held. “It took me quite some time to amass the funds to buy it, but thanks to a few, uh, contacts, I was able to acquire it.” He beamed at you, obviously proud of himself. You were proud of him too, but to be quite honest, you were also upset. 

After all those you spent, barely making ends meet, he was living in the lap of luxury. Just thinking about all the times you struggled to even open the door to your clunker of a car made you dizzy. All those times you had to stall buying things or skip going out to save money could have been avoided if he had done something. 

Apparently you didn’t mask your thoughts as well as you had hoped. “You probably think I’m a terrible dad, huh? Sweetie, I promise you, if there was anything I could have done I would have. But your mom refused to accept any money, she was too proud. Insisted that she could make enough money from her ‘real’ job.” 

You felt your chest tightening. It didn’t add up. How many things had she kept from you? But you had to push those thoughts aside. No, now wasn’t the time to worry about it. But once you aced this workshop you would call her and give her a piece of your mind.

“I know it’s a lot to take in,” he continued, “but maybe we can talk after your audition ends. We can work out an arrangement.” He turned to leave, but turned back at the last second. “I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you with the director,” he winked.

You laughed, but replied, “I think I can make it on my own.” With a smile, you turned your attention to the stage, where a few people were milling around. 

It took a moment, but you took a deep breath and walked up the steps. Heading towards what seemed to be the woman in charge, you smiled. “Hi, I’m here for the Romeo and Juliet workshop?”

She nodded, “Do you have your identification?” You handed her your driver’s license and she smiled. “Perfect, I’ll put you in the system. We have some time before it starts, so you can go meet the others who are auditioning.” 

“Thank you,” you answered, feeling the knot in your chest loosen. It was going well so far. Squaring your shoulders, you went over to a small group of actors. They were excitedly chatting so you hoped to slip into their conversation. 

“So then Hamlet slipped and dropped the skull!” Everyone began laughing and you realized you must have come in at the end of a story. One of the girls turned to you and smiled. 

“Hey there, new girl.” You blushed, trying to think of a response. “No worries,” she laughed. “Everyone’s welcome to join our little circle. So you’re auditioning?”

“I am,” you smiled, thankful for her warm welcome.

“We are too, although we’ve heard the competition will be cut throat this year. Ever since they spent big bucks on a new up and coming actor to play Romeo the auditions have been getting more difficult.”

“A new actor?”

“No one knows who he is yet. But rumor has it he’s going to be here today, so we may have a chance to meet him. I’m Andrea by the way.”

You introduced yourself, which Andrea responded to with a firm handshake. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said with a smile. “That’s Sam,” she nodded to the boy to your left. “That’s Kat,” Andrea pointed to the girl on her right. “Oh and here comes the star of the hour,” she chuckled as another girl came over and joined the circle. “This is my girlfriend, April.” 

As Andrea caught April up to speed, Sam nodded to you. “Don’t look now, but I think the new actor is here.” 

“Where?” You looked around but couldn’t quite place who he was talking about. 

“I just said not to look,” laughed Sam. “But he’s over by the door, talking to the owner.”

You turned your head, and your breath caught in your throat. There he was, Loki, the cute jackass from the gas station. Things were about to get really interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this chapter is like a week late! Things have been very hectic here. However, I should be back to my regular posting schedule soon (every other Sunday)! As always, kudos and comments are appreciated! Love you all! <3


	5. Chapter 5

What was he doing here? There’s no way you could work with him, even if you were just playing a background character. It wasn’t as if you had a choice, though. The acting field was full of pretentious assholes and this would give you practice in working with one. 

Before you could fully condition yourself to the prospect of working with Loki, the director called everyone over to her side of the stage. 

“I know everyone is excited to get to work, but before we do I want to introduce the stars of our show.” Loki walked onto the stage, accompanied by a gorgeous brunette. She smiled warmly at the group, while Loki simply stared blankly ahead. 

“This is Loki Odinson, and he will be playing the role of Romeo. Anita Rushman will be our Juliet.” 

  
Anita took a step forward. “I’m excited to find out who will be cast, and can not wait to begin working with you all,” she stated. Taking a step back, she nudged Loki, trying to get him to speak. You couldn’t help but suppress a giggle, this Anita seemed great.

He strode forward, exuding an air of confidence. “I wish you the best of luck,” he said with a smile that seemed almost genuine. “Break a leg.” If you hadn’t known better you’d have thought him to be sincere. His previous attitude was gone, replaced with a charismatic personality. No wonder he was an actor. He may as well have been the god of lies.

“We’ll go over the basics,” the director said. “First I’ll split you into two groups, one with Loki and one with Anita. You’ll work on some improv and they’ll report back to me and share their thoughts. After that we’ll reconvene in the large group. At the end I’ll announce the names of those accepted.”

Mutters went up from around the room. It seemed no one knew the name would be shared today. You tried to push down your nervousness. This was something you had waited your whole life for, you weren’t about to give up now.

“There is one small twist, however,” Anita shared, her voice a mock whisper. “Two of you will be selected to be our understudies.” 

A shock went through you. Surely she couldn’t be serious. You looked around, thinking maybe you misunderstood her words. However, judging by the expressions of those around you, this was really happening. 

If you were cast as the understudy and had the opportunity to go on stage so many doors would be opened for you. At the same time, if you did that would mean working with Loki. You weren’t sure what about him made you so nervous, but you hoped it was just his horrible attitude. It totally wasn’t the fact that he was cute, right? You were definitely wrong, but that was something to think about later.

“I know this will come as a surprise to you all, but don’t let this news affect your performance today. We will now be breaking into the two groups which will be randomly assigned. Good luck!” 

Nerves racked your body as they began to call names of those auditioning. Your name was called and your heart nearly stopped. No, there’s no way they  _ actually  _ placed you in Loki’s group. That would be an especially cruel twist of fate. The universe couldn’t hate you that much, could it?

The answer, apparently, was yes. On wobbly legs you made your way over to where the other group members were standing. There was no way he would actually give you a chance. You could feel your chances at scoring any role dwindling down to zero.

Taking a seat, you were relieved to see Andrea and April had also been assigned to your group. “Do you think he’s going to be as pretentious as he seems?” April asked you quietly, her tone conspiriorital. 

“From my experience with him,” you said, trying not to give too much away, “he totally is.”

“Wait,” Andrea interjected, “your ‘experience’ with him? Do tell all.” 

“Well, it isn’t that much,” you admitted to them, “but I actually met him last night.” Had it only been a day since you met him at the gas station? Since you were kicked out? No wonder people said time wasn’t real.

As they waited expectantly you began to recount the story. “I was nearing the outskirts of the city when my car became low on fuel. There was a small gas station that I stopped at, but before I could pull up to the single pump, he cut ahead of me. He handed me ‘for my troubles’, and then left. Then I went back to the gas station this morning, realizing I left my I.D. there. As I was about to leave he showed up again. Turns out his family owns the place.” 

April went slack-jawed. “I always knew he wasn’t the nice person he pretends to be, but that’s just weird. I mean, who does something like that?” Something seemed to click and her eyes went wide. “Wait a minute, is that the gas station off of the highway? I’ve heard so many stories about that place, some say it’s haunted."

You could sense someone walk up behind you and your blood went cold. “And some say that gossip rots the brain. Although from such a talented group of actors I would surely expect better.” As always, Loki spoke in a voice as smooth as silk. Although his words seemed friendly at the surface there was no denying the venom laced underneath.

Scientists have long debated if it’s possible to feel your soul leave your body. They needn’t any longer, you knew the answer, and the answer was yes. At this point, you thought, there was no way you’d have any chance at being cast. 

“Well, unless there’s anything else you want to share with the group, let’s get started.” 

There was no way you’d be able to make it through this, unless the Fates decided to step in and save the day. You could only hope that they were feeling generous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Posting a chapter on time? It's more likely than you think! I swear major plot points will actually take place next chapter, so stay tuned! As always kudos and comments are appreciated! Love you all! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! As promised, here is Chapter One! As always, kudos and comments are appreciated! Love you all! <3


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